The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-25

the river. A stain in the beautiful clear
surface Of the sea, like a blemish in II
character OF a human being, that cannot
be erased.
The day before Christmas was dying;
the sun was sinking behind the western
horizon, his face all red and glowing, be-
slowing his eventide farewell to the sea
and its inhabitants, kissing the gentle I'M
dulating surface fervently and turning II to
a golden red. Shortly after entering the
port we enjoyed a frugal peal aboard the
boat. Having finished our refrpshmont,
Capt. Bob - brought out q box OF
pure Havanas, and, lighting the delicious
weed, we sauntercd mi upon the %jet,ics.
The night was IA glorious as the day had
been. The moon rose shortly after sunset.
There was so much happiness portrayed
ON her pale and gentle face as she pecped
| over the eastern horizon. She seemed to
realize that it was the night before Christ
mas, and her rays transformed every crest
upon the surface OF the sea into a scintil-
lating jewel.
My companion, the captain, was u man
above the medium hight, possessing n well
knit, sturdy frame, u clear, blue eye, that
was ut tho same time gentle, fearless and
| piercing. lie wore a full. dark brown
beard. His nose was of the Grccian type,
his forehead white and high, n man OF
warm impulses and noble sentiments,
passionatcly fond OF music and literature.
We had just met that day, but loved m
another before the sun went down. We
had not walked long upon the narrow jet
ties that divide the river from the sea,
until we were telling one another about
our lives. His had been m adventurous
career. Many were the close escapes from
the jaws of death. Minc-well, ! WIS too
youthful 10 have tasted much OF liic's cup,
but there were some touching incidents in
my existence that gained his attcntiOnand
won his sympathy. / loved him for the
troubles he had passed. lie loved me
lOr-l know not what.
Captain" said |, after We had been en-
Toying the moon and the sea about half an
hour, 'do you know that this is Christmas
Eve2"
'By George, 1t isl" exclaimed the cap
tain, as il lac had been awakened from a
r%cveric, 'und its my birthday, too. ! am
sixty years old today. ! don't know why
| haven't thought OF this before"
"Wcll," | suggested, mo n would
ever believe this was the day before Christ.
mas, especially one who has been accus.
toned to seeing the ground white with
snow. He imuginCs that the festive day
cannot he without ~slcighbells, plum pud.
dings, %jcllics, turkey and all sorts OF good
things. There is certainly nothing about
us tonight 10 remind ms Of Christmas.
We're both away from home, and what Il
Christmas away from home? noveI
should have thought Of II had not beer
reminded that il was the 9th day OF DE
ccmbcr by this letters post mark. which
I've been playing with, and can easily dis
tinguish in the bright moonlight"
''This is the twentieth Christmas tina
| have spent Alone said the captain
"By alone | mean without q single
member OF my family. My wife an'
children, three girls, have all been dea,
that length Of time" Before he con
tinued his story after this pause, caused ID!
"A choking sensation in his throat, We boil
looked NJ one another in amazemcnt W.
thought We heard whispers steal through
, the Silly night air from over the sea. W.
listened intently, but they were hushcd
Nothing could bo heard save tue ocasclcs
/, tapping Of the restless sea. Tho captain
| face was liyid aud ashy pale. lie hai
Just been talking about his family an
. their absence, and these voices sounded =
| scpulchral aud spirit-liko that ] thought
, and rightly, too, that II was That whicI
, affected him.
i 81 am not supcrstitious," said he, "bu
| cannot understand that"
, We had now walked out on n sort Of
, bridge, ut right angles with the jctties
, Here again We heard the voices - nm
!, more-stincd sobs 1oatcd over the ~
/ waves. What could IL mcang-Cut Their
p on Lands Eud; one step would have lc'
y into the gull.
|, "what do you suppose Il Is, captain
= said I, to relieve him Of what seemed =
be an awful burden.
a "The lord only knows. / cannot imal
inc what would take a woman or chill
n for IL Is one or the other, or BOTH out I
: that desolatc, mourniul place, IN the nigl
4 before Christmas especially, when chi
= dren should bc with their parents an
n parents with their children. but We vi
investigate"
We thcrcupon walked back 10 the jctti,
! and out upon them until the very end WI
n reached. We approached quietly. III
figures Oi two little boys wcrr very distinI
IN the clear moonlight. They were hue
!, died closely together, and seemed only
4 be waiting for tho tide TO come up an
J, snatch them into the bosom Of the dccl
: Again they hurst into n paroXysm Of gric
that found lis way deeply In the hearts {
their only hearers.
q Never was there a sadder picture, M III
I, captain aud I stood there waiting for Ill
|. grief Of the little fellows TO subSidc.
lovely night, truly, but how lonely IL VI,
% even a. rs. Whit must II be 10 those lit
N children?
The captain began to talk 10 them m
n they both politely dofcd their hats, an
the noble man put his right hand upo
Ne the head Of one and his left upon u
others dishcvcled locks. Their ngY
we're, respectively, thirteen and clever
lie began 10 question them.
"well, my little friends, what bnnl
g You hcrc2'
With a broad, English accent, the cldI
ono begun: "fhe cap'n o. tho Queen
M Haustralia put hus ashore ere, sur"
/. "Whatl" said tho captain, with angl
Indignation. "Whon ~
elias soon has she got into port, sur"
pl GLOW came you tO DO abOarl the shi
a. my boy2 Tell me your whole story, fro
beginning 10 end"
nj The younger nov took up the sior
10 lie looked into the captains face with h
4. tear.siaincd blue eyes with az homes
70 pleading expression, and told the sto
n thus, in his wi childish way:
ie ave lived In Liverpool, sur. We ~
u. no father or mother, hand onlya big sistc
sur, hand she II lady. hand purity, NJ
n. she Is, too. She worked ard hcycry da
III hand me hand my brother there We went
"a school. She never seed much hon hu
" sur, hand We didn't like 10 SEQ Ter con
mr. One tired heyery night. We wanted
ne work, too, sur, but she said we must go
school. My big brother he knowcd abo
" some boys who went 20 sea, by bel